Radio aerial for use on vehicles



Feb. 14, 1950 W. J. PICKETT ETAL 2,497,587

RADIO AERIAL FOR USE ON VEHICLES Filed Oct. 13,'1947 Patented Feb. 14,1950 RADIO AERIAL FOR USE ON VEHICLES Walter Jonathan Pickett, CharlesMolyneux Carington, and George William Shoobert, London, England,assignors to K. L. G. Sparking Plugs Limited, London, England, a Britishcompany Application October 13, 1947, Serial No. 779,546 In GreatBritain August 30, 1946 (Cl. Z50-33) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to radio aerials for use on vehicles and has forits object to provide a simple and inexpensive construction whereby anaerial can be readily adjusted to an erect or receiving position, orswung down into a'stored position.

According to this invention, a radio aerial assemblage for a vehiclecomprises a base which constitutes the attachment to the vehicle, and anaerial pivotally mounted on the base with a frictional control so as tobe readily adjustable alternatively to its erect position or its storedposition.

Preferably the assemblage comprises a bolt whereby the base is securedto a panel of the vehicle, a forked end of the bolt, and a disc-likeblock carrying the aerial and pivotally mounted between the limbs of thefork with a frictionwasher or Washers to restrain its movement.

According to another feature of the invention, 1

an adjustable aerial is of telescopic construction comprising a tube anda rod of smaller diameter than the bore of the tube slidable in it, theinner end portion of the rod being distorted to engage frictionally withthe bore of the tube to retain the rod in any position to which it isadjusted longitudinally in the tube. The outer end of the tube fromwhich the rod is extended may, according to this feature of theinvention, be reduced in its internal diameter so that the rod is asliding t therein.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate 'one construction inaccordance with this invenion,

Figure 1 is a side elevation in central section of the complete device,

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1,

Fig-ure 3 is an inverted plan view, looking in the direction of thearrow 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

The base of the aerial assemblage is constituted by two blocks ofinsulation material II), II respectively. which are assembled one oneach side of a metal panel I2 of the vehicle; this may be a roof panelor a wall panel as is most convenient. The block I0 is formed with acylindrical extension I3 which projects through a suitable openingformed in the panel I2 and engages in a co-operating socket formed inthe block II and the two blocks are secured by a bolt I4 extendingcentrally through them. The projection I3 above-mentioned ensures thatthe bolt I4 is insulated from the panel I2. For the purpose hereinafterdefined a metal washer I5 is interposed between the block II and thepanel I2, the surface of the latter being cleaned to enable the washerI5 to make good electrical contact with it. The bolt is secured by a nutI6 and a washer I'I threaded on it, and another metal Washer I8 similarto the washer I5 is gripped between the end of the block II and thewasher I1 so that an electrical circuit can be provided from the bolt I4through the nut I6 and washer I1 to the washer I8.

The block Il is formed with two slots I9, 20 (see Figures 3 and 5), anda spring-iinger 2l formed integrally with the washer I5 extends alongthe slot I9 adjacent a transverse bore in the block. Similarly in theslot 2| the springfinger 22 extends from the washer I8 adjacent the sametransverse bore. This bore receives the end of a lead-in wireconstituted by a cable having a metallic sheath or brading to screen it.The core of the cable has secured on it a nipple 23 which is engaged bythe spring-linger 22, and the sheath of the cable has a sleeve 24soldered or otherwise secured to it to give a good electrical contactand this sleeve is engaged by the spring-finger 2|. When the end of thecable is inserted in the transverse bore in the block I I it therebyestablishes connection from the core to the washer I8 and thence to theshaft I4, and also makes connection from the screening sheath to thewasher I5 and thereby to the body of the vehicle which constitutes theearth connection.

The bolt I4 has a nut I6 as mentioned above screwed on one end, and theother end 25 which lies within a recess in the block I0 is forked toprovide two limbs 26, 21 which receive between them a member ofdisc-like or cheese-form 28. A bolt 29 is threaded through thefork-members 26, 21 to serve as a pivot on which the member 28 can turn.and in order to provide a irictional control for its turning movementthe member 28 has inset into it a friction material 30 which engages theinner face of the fork-member 21. The bolt 29 is provided with a head 3lunder which there is a washer 32 and a spring 33 located in a recess inthe member 28, and the other end of the bolt is screw-threaded toreceive a capnut 34 which is screwed on it to engage the fork 21.Tightening of the nut 34 against the action of the spring 33 presses thefriction surface 30 into contact with the fork-member 21 and thispressure is adjusted to give the desired frictional eiiect.

The member 28 has mounted in it a socketmember 35 which carries a metaltube 36 constituting a part of the aerial rod, and within this tubethere is slidable a rod 31 which is curved at its inner end 38 toprovide frictional engagement with the inside of the tube 36. The upperend 330i the tubeV may be--eturned down to .-Aa smaller diameter soVthat the Ifrod 31 "is ra sliding fit in the tube. The rod is providedwith a head 40 at its outer end to enable it to be withdrawn and tolimit its entry into the tube. When it is to be erected to itsreceiving-"pcsition, theerod' 31 is withdrawn from the tube-to. givefthedesired height to the aerial.

The assemblage above :described -isf'monntedl 'said limbs and saidblock,.a head .on said second 'bolt extending ythroughffan opening f in,the other of Isaid limbs, 'a spring between said head and said block, anut on the other end of said second bolt abutting the lrst said limb,and a telescopic gaerialrod secured on said block and rotatableVtherewith,between-.an erect receiving position and a storedjposition.

'3....A jradio-"aerial assemblage for a vehicle acin any convenientposition, f 'say` fori example at. -ir-1i5x01`dngs-i0`Claim -.1,"wherein the said Second Dart the front of a roof panel of the vehicle.so that..

the aerial can be swung downwardsto .fliealongfj controlensuresf-th-atrif the aerial whenerected "-fou-ls inl pitch,suchrforfexample as agaragefroof, it is-rnerely-pressed1 downv to;itsstored position and suffersA nodamage.

We claim: v1.'In a-,zradio aerial vassemblage for a vehiclethe--combinationof a two-part base whereof -the first f. partisiormedfwith a -spigot engaging with 'the secondpartgaf'bolt extendingv`through both 30i said parts, Ea forked-headbn said-bolt-:having twolimbs extending outvfrom -sa-id irstrpart,v a

block mounted betweensaid-limbsa Afriction 'Washerebetween saidblockf-and- `one of lsaid limbs,

-for compressing-.said spring'rto provide-ifrictionalresistance-againstfrotation of`v said block -between -the limbs-ofsaid-fork; and a :telescopic aerial rod seeuredon rsaid block androtatabletherewith between `an erect receivingiposition-,and a-,stcreda4@ position.- v

f2. 4-In 4aradio aerial assemblage/for a-'Vehicle lI-'thezoombinationof; a rtvvofpart basev whereof :the

A-first partisv formed` with an extension-,engaging Vwith Y theysecond.- part, a rst f. bolt `rextending agri, .$2,360,248

of said base is formed with two longitudinally jextendingfslotsand atransverse bore, in com- *biri'ation with a screened cable havingelectrical contactpieces in said bore, whereof one connected to thescreening cover is exposed to one of said slotsandfthe otherI connectedto. thecable `core is` .exposedlto the :otheriof saidslotsa metalAwasher betweenfsaidftwo partsof the ,basehaving lafiinger extendingalong one vof said slots .,125 andrengaging ,electrically the. screening.cover of v'said'cableya second Washer'on'the other v`endo'f saidsecondpart of the base.havingrelectrical connection with. said bolt and.a'nger onsaid second washery extending along the second f said lslotsand` havingv'electrical connection with the ,core of sai'dcable.

'WALTER JONATHAN vPICKETT.

CHAREES'MOLYNEUX CARIN'GIION. GEORGEAWILLIAM SHOOBERT.

REFERENCES -CITED yTheifollowing-vreferences@ are of record in'. thefile, of this r`patent :.y

' UNITED STATES' PATENTS o Y Number Name Date V2,251,889 fLudway, Aug.-Y5, 1941 l2,284,782L -Watsom June.2,.1942 '.2f, l21,272A Becwar.. 1-June8,. 1943 #Mace`7 .Oct. 10-1944

